Do you remember? Celebrity Nostalgia

[MizDemeanor]

41 minutes ago, keithm said:

Somewhat true. I still feel when pax can get away with whatever they feel they can, it just starts the helping the decline. I notice less staff, more "green" staff & the food quality really went down hill for a line that calls itself a Premium" line. When was the last time you saw the Rhumba class on deck? Though I didn't do it, there was a lot of fun watching people having fun. Being in the food industry, the quality really means a lot to us. The specialty rest. are very good. I just don't feel the need to pay so much for them. Raise the cruise fare & keep the quality the same. I really can't stand when prices both go up & quality declines at the same time. If not for the itinerary on the up coming Jan. 31 cruise on Silhouette, we'd have skipped the cruise. This up coming cruise is our make & break for Celebrity. If the quality has dropped much below our 2017 Eclipse trip, then I'm afraid it will be Oceania from now on. 

 

The decline in ambiance may be due to the passenger and the airlines making it costly to travel with checked baggage and baggage within their limits, I think to the days of the fuel embargos and surcharges that are not so stunning at this point in time but that they became business as usual for the airlines to justify a contol of costs and revenues. In any event the baggage fees are here to stay for now.

 

What impacted the evening formal dress may be more in part of those on this site that demanded that the tux and gown remain on the entire entire evening while out an about the ships. This became a highly contentious debate for years and the cruise line even went as far as to enforce it in deference to those long term geusts who demanded it. Because they said so, because it was said so. Like a 55 mph speedlimit is adhered to as strictly as the dresscode was being demanded to be adhered to. 

 

But what was occuring when everyone was focused on what everyone was wearing, along with why there should no longer be Baked Alaska in the MDR, were the cutbacks. And I guess some said this was a 'duming down' that was casued by the passnegers who didn't want to dress up, who wanted a new kind of casual, by the passengers who enjoyed a big fat steak in a specialty venue, and so as long as there was an alterantive for that segment who wanted what that big fat steak, there was an impetus for the cruiseline to do their thing and take it away, because still to his today there are those who will share that they will not pay a penny more than they did 10 years ago for their cruise fare.

 

And while they are dug in and really aren't paying more, alot has changed economically in that timeframe and the costs of virtually everying has gone up and the Retirement Funds are slipping because the market stinks and the people who want to control the future of this line that are on fixed incomes, and of course won't pay a penny more. 

 

So while you were sleeping...the retirees got all up in arms, the cruise line said we are going casual, and Kelly Hoppen ran wild. LLP is the energizer bunny, and the cruisline as anyone once knew it is a like a Football team that is rebuilding, but it is not clear what that future is and what segments it reaches out to. Its a very, very tough buy in right now.

 

The Season Ticket Holders' or 'Faded Fans' are just saying what is going on...

Edited March 25, 2019 by MizDemeanor

[Germancruiser]

Thank you for those great pictures of Meridan and the best Spec. Restaurant ever- THE OLYMPIC!

The smoke staks on Meridan remind me a lot of those of the S- Class- Ships!

So let´s all be gratefull that we all could experience X of those olden days, those golden days!

I can´t wait to board Silhouette- I am prepared for changes- this time i hope for the better! LOL!

One thing I know for sure- nothing- aside from a sudden illness - or accidents - will ruin my Transatlantic voyage!

For the first time my bow tie and tie´s stay at home- the suit will be get into the suitcase. Curious to see what they make of

" evening chic"!

So let´s get back on the bright site and share our great memories!

Nr.2.bmp

[Germancruiser]

Or one of my favorite spots on board Silly:

 

[Germancruiser]

Ah - just noticed- my kindle is already there- wating for me!

[ABoatNerd]

12 hours ago, MizDemeanor said:

 

The decline in ambiance may be due to the passenger and the airlines making it costly to travel with checked baggage and baggage within their limits, I think to the days of the fuel embargos and surcharges that are not so stunning at this point in time but that they became business as usual for the airlines to justify a contol of costs and revenues. In any event the baggage fees are here to stay for now.

 

What impacted the evening formal dress may be more in part of those on this site that demanded that the tux and gown remain on the entire entire evening while out an about the ships. This became a highly contentious debate for years and the cruise line even went as far as to enforce it in deference to those long term geusts who demanded it. Because they said so, because it was said so. Like a 55 mph speedlimit is adhered to as strictly as the dresscode was being demanded to be adhered to. 

 

But what was occuring when everyone was focused on what everyone was wearing, along with why there should no longer be Baked Alaska in the MDR, were the cutbacks. And I guess some said this was a 'duming down' that was casued by the passnegers who didn't want to dress up, who wanted a new kind of casual, by the passengers who enjoyed a big fat steak in a specialty venue, and so as long as there was an alterantive for that segment who wanted what that big fat steak, there was an impetus for the cruiseline to do their thing and take it away, because still to his today there are those who will share that they will not pay a penny more than they did 10 years ago for their cruise fare.

 

And while they are dug in and really aren't paying more, alot has changed economically in that timeframe and the costs of virtually everying has gone up and the Retirement Funds are slipping because the market stinks and the people who want to control the future of this line that are on fixed incomes, and of course won't pay a penny more. 

 

So while you were sleeping...the retirees got all up in arms, the cruise line said we are going casual, and Kelly Hoppen ran wild. LLP is the energizer bunny, and the cruisline as anyone once knew it is a like a Football team that is rebuilding, but it is not clear what that future is and what segments it reaches out to. Its a very, very tough buy in right now.

 

The Season Ticket Holders' or 'Faded Fans' are just saying what is going on...

 

Your analysis is super, really connected with it.

 

Two things I focus on..

 

First, cruising in the beginning and for a very long time, made it clear they were different than a land vacation in a hotel. The grand dining room, midnight buffets, the forward viewing lounge etc. Today, ships seem to be hotels; many have referenced that Celebrity's newer ships are like a R hotel. The linkage to the ocean is being demphasized.

 

Second, is the loss of a consistent cruise product. For the first 20 years of cruising on Celebrity, you could rely on the product you had on your last trip. It was part of the joy of booking the next cruise. My old receipts do show a minor to moderate steady price increase over the years. But you knew the dinner meal would be as good as it was the cruise before. Now the constant cutbacks mean suspicion on my part. It stops me from booking another cruise. I will not current pricing for less.

 

Everyone has a unique value benchmark and that is good. 

 

 

[work2cruis]

Anyone remember the $35 fee to join Captain's Club back in the day? Our first cruise on Celebrity was on Horizon in the mid 1990's to southern Caribbean out of San Juan when you could buy a bottle of booze on the pier and take it onboard. We went with friends and their two youngest boys and a single female friend(known to some of the bar waiters as the "blonde American woman") and had a wonderful time meeting back at dinner to discuss our days activities with great food and service with some tableside services(Caesar salad, crepe Suzette, and cherries jubilee). Their youngest son would fall asleep at the table because we ate at the late seating. Our last Celebrity cruise was 7 years ago when we were told by the activities manager that we were not the demographic they were looking to attract( 50 + year old DINKs) but wanting young singles and couples in their 20s and 30s. Have decided to go on another Celebrity cruise due to itinerary and timing and hope for the best. Love this thread regarding the nostalgia of old ships and long-gone services and food quality.

 

Chris

[UnorigionalName]

6 hours ago, ABoatNerd said:

... Today, ships seem to be hotels; many have referenced that Celebrity's newer ships are like a R hotel. The linkage to the ocean is being demphasized.

 

 

I mostly agree, but I think it's not the linkage to the oceans, but linkage to ocean going ships and all the heritage that goes with it.  Instead of going for a  luxurious ocean liner, the newer ships are more like, moving hotels with prime ocean views.  I think the new new ships are in a sense more connected to the ocean in that they are more outward facing, but definitely they are not really going for any nautical type of feel.

 

I think the change is that the people entering the cruise market now are those that have never needed to travel on an ocean liner.  They grew up in the jet age during the decline of the ocean liner era.  They have no nostalgia for the style or trappings of ocean liners.

 

For these new people, who are completely divorced from the heritage of cruising and from sailing in general (probably less and less percentage of people go on boats/ships at all), looking from an outsider perspective.  Why formal night? doesn't really make any sense when you are just looking for a relaxing vacation by the ocean.  No memories of glamorous dinners during boring trans ocean travel.  Parade of waiters is super kitschy by modern aesthetics if you don't have any memories of it.  What land based restaurants other than silly kitschy chains have waiters do something so ostentatious?  And the end product is a baked alaska? kind of mundane in all honesty.

[maggie.1008]

We paid $35. to join the Captains Club. I heard that some received their money back We never did. 

Maybe X will try that fee again. 

[dkjretired]

6 hours ago, work2cruis said:

Anyone remember the $35 fee to join Captain's Club back in the day? Our first cruise on Celebrity was on Horizon in the mid 1990's to southern Caribbean out of San Juan when you could buy a bottle of booze on the pier and take it onboard. We went with friends and their two youngest boys and a single female friend(known to some of the bar waiters as the "blonde American woman") and had a wonderful time meeting back at dinner to discuss our days activities with great food and service with some tableside services(Caesar salad, crepe Suzette, and cherries jubilee). Their youngest son would fall asleep at the table because we ate at the late seating. Our last Celebrity cruise was 7 years ago when we were told by the activities manager that we were not the demographic they were looking to attract( 50 + year old DINKs) but wanting young singles and couples in their 20s and 30s. Have decided to go on another Celebrity cruise due to itinerary and timing and hope for the best. Love this thread regarding the nostalgia of old ships and long-gone services and food quality.

 

Chris

 

A funny thing about that $35 fee is that it was for a family.   My children were Captains' club members at the age of 7 and 9.  I still have their CC cards with a 5 digit number on it.  Now kids can't join until they're 18. 

[dkjretired]

18 minutes ago, maggie.1008 said:

We paid $35. to join the Captains Club. I heard that some received their money back We never did. 

Maybe X will try that fee again. 

 

People didn't get money back, there was some kind of settlement and they received coupons for future cruises. The coupons had a lot of restrictions and were virtually useless. 

[cruiseflyer38]

On 3/24/2019 at 5:49 PM, MizDemeanor said:

 

The decline in ambiance may be due to the passenger and the airlines making it costly to travel with checked baggage and baggage within their limits, I think to the days of the fuel embargos and surcharges that are not so stunning at this point in time but that they became business as usual for the airlines to justify a contol of costs and revenues. In any event the baggage fees are here to stay for now.

 

What impacted the evening formal dress may be more in part of those on this site that demanded that the tux and gown remain on the entire entire evening while out an about the ships. This became a highly contentious debate for years and the cruise line even went as far as to enforce it in deference to those long term geusts who demanded it. Because they said so, because it was said so. Like a 55 mph speedlimit is adhered to as strictly as the dresscode was being demanded to be adhered to. 

 

But what was occuring when everyone was focused on what everyone was wearing, along with why there should no longer be Baked Alaska in the MDR, were the cutbacks. And I guess some said this was a 'duming down' that was casued by the passnegers who didn't want to dress up, who wanted a new kind of casual, by the passengers who enjoyed a big fat steak in a specialty venue, and so as long as there was an alterantive for that segment who wanted what that big fat steak, there was an impetus for the cruiseline to do their thing and take it away, because still to his today there are those who will share that they will not pay a penny more than they did 10 years ago for their cruise fare.

 

And while they are dug in and really aren't paying more, alot has changed economically in that timeframe and the costs of virtually everying has gone up and the Retirement Funds are slipping because the market stinks and the people who want to control the future of this line that are on fixed incomes, and of course won't pay a penny more. 

 

So while you were sleeping...the retirees got all up in arms, the cruise line said we are going casual, and Kelly Hoppen ran wild. LLP is the energizer bunny, and the cruisline as anyone once knew it is a like a Football team that is rebuilding, but it is not clear what that future is and what segments it reaches out to. Its a very, very tough buy in right now.

 

The Season Ticket Holders' or 'Faded Fans' are just saying what is going on...

Never on a Celebrity cruise that I have been on since 1996 has dress code ever been a real issue. I would prefer a little more class but if another client is less dressed it really has never been a problem. The clientele has always been mostly intelligent persons. The upper middle class market was always there and still is, the new Celebrity (L.L.P.) has become an "Elitist" orientated organization and has abandoned the very market that made it a great cruise line.  We never needed 1800 sq. ft. suites and dumbing down of service for 90% of the rest. 

[Rob the Cruiser]

Our first cruise was aboard Celebrity Century. San Diego - Hawaii - San Diego. Loved it.

 

[jsf]

We sailed our first cruise on Chamblis back in 1994 I think, might have been the Horizon. The first thing I remember was the strolling musicians during the meals in the MDR. You could request songs and they would stop at the table and play, very nice. We started cruising in 1991 and would go back and forth between RCCL and Celebrity and we always said RCCL for entertainment and Celebrity for food.

J

Edited March 31, 2019 by jsf

[Bo1953]

On 3/24/2019 at 8:14 PM, keithm said:

Somewhat true. I still feel when pax can get away with whatever they feel they can, it just starts the helping the decline. I notice less staff, more "green" staff & the food quality really went down hill for a line that calls itself a Premium" line. When was the last time you saw the Rhumba class on deck? Though I didn't do it, there was a lot of fun watching people having fun. Being in the food industry, the quality really means a lot to us. The specialty rest. are very good. I just don't feel the need to pay so much for them. Raise the cruise fare & keep the quality the same. I really can't stand when prices both go up & quality declines at the same time. If not for the itinerary on the up coming Jan. 31 cruise on Silhouette, we'd have skipped the cruise. This up coming cruise is our make & break for Celebrity. If the quality has dropped much below our 2017 Eclipse trip, then I'm afraid it will be Oceania from now on. 

k - based on your recent postings and standards, I believe you will be an Oceania devotee...

 

bon voyage

[Mike981]

Back in 2000 we took our very first cruise on the Mercury and the following year on the Millennium. Then it was land based vacations, Disney and Carnival with our kids.
My wife and I just went back to Celebrity this past January on the Equinox and yes, it was much different. Less staff, food quality much less and so on. I don't miss the stuffy/pretentiousness that we felt at times in the past. Maybe some enjoyed that.

I am sure this comment will make some peoples blood boil. When we first went on Carnival it was such a drastic change from Celebrity. And now just returning to Celebrity after sailing a dozen times on Carnival, there are many more similarities than before. I can't say the MDR food was THAT much better. And speaking of the MDR, the proximity of the tables is exactly the same as Carnival, the same with staffing. And yet, we found several things that we truly enjoyed about the Celebrity experience. That is why we quickly booked another cruise on Reflection.

For us, the extra money to go on a different line to get back the things we miss, isn't worth it. Yet.

[keithm]

9 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

k - based on your recent postings and standards, I believe you will be an Oceania devotee...

 

bon voyage

Most likely you're correct. Still waiting on the issues about our late Jan. cruise on Silhouette. We're hoping the drydock doesn't mess things up. Celebrity just tells us the ship is fully booked. We hope that is correct & not B/S. We'd be back on Riviera, if it weren't chartered by McDonalds next Jan.

[Germancruiser]

I can´t wait to see what changed in 5 years- and how i will like X after 10 or so Cunard voyages! I am going with an open mind- some things may be better some less so.

Foodwise- well I have planed to check out the Spec. Restaurants, even though I never had a really " bad" meals in MDR!